Toy.



- T. HOWARD.

TOY.

APPLICATION FILED MAn.1.1916.

Patened Oct. 242, 1916.

fontana sraacns camicia.

'THOMAS HOWARD, '01E' OWENSBOROI, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF T0 WILLIAM R. WILLIAMS, 0F OWENSBORO, KENTUCKY.

TOY.

`Specification of Letters Patent.

ratentea oet. ea, taie.

Application filed March 1, 1916. Serial No. 81,435.

` and toys, and more especially to an improved toy, comprising one or more inclined tracks so that a series of balls will roll from one track to the other, one of said tracks being .n tiltable, whereby every odd ball or marblel may be automatically returned to the uppermost track, the movements of the balls or marbles being continuous, until substantially all the balls or marbles reach a depository hopper or compartment at the base of the apparatus, thereby creating amusement for children.

Another obj ect of the invention is the provision of a toy of this kind, in which simple, efficient, desirable and practical features of construction are involved.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this kind, which may be easily and cheaply constructed, niore especially of any suitable material, wood, metal or the like, and sold at a reasonable cost.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitate alterations, falling within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter sety forth, shown 1n the drawmgs and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved toy constructed in accordance with the invention, and illustrate ing one of said tracks tilted in dottedv lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line twll of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the uppermost inclined track showing the adjacent faces of the sides of said track provided with convolutions arranged in staggered relation, whereby yas each ball gravitates down the track, the motion is substantially an intermittent or Zig-zag movement. nIn other words, the ball or marble is substantially crossed first to one side and then the other, .thereby retarding its speed.

ieierrin g more especially to the drawings, 1 designates the base, and secured to the upper face thereof near one end by means of a screw or sprig 2 is a cleat 3, to the opposite ends of which the standards 11 are secured by the screw or sprig 5. These standards 4 rise vertically from the base, and are in parallelism. Also secured to the upper face of the base adjacent the opposite end thereof by means ot' the screws or sprigs 6 are the cleats 7, 8 and 9, arranged to constitute a flange, of rectangular outline in plan View, thereby providing a depository space lor hopper 10 for a series of balls or marbles or the like. The bottom of this space 10 is provided with a plurality'of semi-spherical depressions, which niay or may not be provided with characters of denomination, such as 1 to 10 inclusive, or the like, so that whoever may be lucky enough to have the majority of balls or marbles to engage a greatest number of depressions of the highest denomination wins. However, the numerals of denomination may be eliminated if so desired, or if used may be varied.. Risingfrorn the inner ends of the cleats 7 are standards 11, which are in parallelism. Also secured to the base 1 in any suitable manner and having one end between the lower ends of the cleats 11 is a short block 12, which has its upper face inclined and provided with a groove 13 constituting an inclined track. The standards L1 are of. greater height than the standards 11, and secured by screws or sprigs llt to and between the upper end portions or extremities of both sets of standards l and 11 is an inclined groove track 15. r1`he inner adjacent faces of the flanges or sides for sub stantially half their length toward the lowermost' part of the inclined track 15 are provided with convolutions 16 disposed in staggered relations, in order to impart substantially an intermittent and Ziz-Zag movement to the ball or marble as it travels the inclined track in order to retard its movement. A second inclined track 17 is secured by screws or the like 18 to and between the standards 4 and 11, and below the inclined track 15, at an acute angle thereto, so that as each ball or marble reaches the lowerniost end of the track 15, it will fall upon the track 17.' One end of the track 17 has an abutment member V19, to prevent the ball or marble from passing od the rear end of said track 17.

Pivotally mounted upon -a pin 2() between the standards 1, said pin being immediately under the end portion 21 ot' the track 17, is a track 22, which is so pivoted as to afford long and short ends and 24. The under face of the short end portion is provided with a weight 25, of sutticient capacity, as to hold the track 22 upon a less 1ny weight of the member 25, thereby tilt the grooved faces of the track 15, such convotrack 22 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. However, in practice each of the balls or marbles is of such weight compared to the weight of the member 25, as to not overbalance the weight 25, until the ball practically reaches the iange 27 at theextremity ot' the end portion 23, whereupon the marble or ball will tilt the track 22 to the inclined dotted line position in Fig. 1.

The tace .of the groove of the end portion 2l of the track 22 near the extremity of the end portion 21 is provided with a depression. or pocket 29, adjacent to which an abutment l3() is fixed, to prevent the ball or marble from rolling oit the end ot the/ part 21.

`livoted upon a pin 31 in a slot 32, and substantially midway the ends of the track 15 is a trip lever or dog 33, the grooved nose 3-1 of which is designed to assume a position in the path of the series ot' balls or marbles 34, while the tail 35 is in the path of the balls or marbles, when they reach the track 17.

In operation the balls or marbles are irst deposited in the track 15 so as to be held by the nose of the trip dog. The tail end of the trip dog is then tilted manually, so that the nose of the trip dog is moved from the path of the foremost ball or marble, which gra vitates in a zig-zag manner along the opposite lutions or grooves acting to retard the ball or marble to a degree to enable tiltingr lever 2B to operate and return to its normal position ready to receive the next ball or marble. rlhe tirst ball or marble then falls upon the track 17 until it contacts with the tail end of the trip dog, which causes the nose to be moved to release the next ball. However, the first ball passes from the track 17 to the end portion 24 ot the track 22 and into the pocket or depression 29. The second ball or marble after having left the track 15 and is passing along the track 17 engages the tail end 35 and releases the third ball. The second ball or marble passes on to the end portion 21 of the track 22, and owing to the first ball resting in the depression 29, the second ball travels downwardly upon the track 22, until it reaches the extremity of the end portion JJ of the track 22, whereupon its weight overlmlances the combined weight of the tirsl ball and the weight 25, thereby tilting the track 22fin a dotted line position 75 shown in Fig. l, so that the upper edges of the sides of the end portion 21 of the track 22 will contact with the beveled parts 37 of the track 15, whereas the extremity of the end portion 23 is in a position to cause the second ball to pass into the track groove 13 and thence into the depository space 10. \Vheu the track 22 is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, the first ball, owing to the inclined portion 38 ofl the depression 29 leaves the depression and is returned to the track 15. These operations are continued, until all the balls or marbles exceptinpr the last ball which remains in contact with the nose of the trip dog, reach the depository space 10.

Uprights 1 and 11 may be made removable from the base, to make the toy more compact for shipment.

The invention having-been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. In a toy for children, a frame comprising a base, a pair of inclined tracks secured to the upper part of the frame, one above the l other and atan acute angle to each other, a 106 third track pivoted in the frame at the 10W- ermost extremity of the lowermost of the first mentioned tracks, so that a ball rolling downl the pivotcd track will act as means to overbalance the combined weight of another ball and a weight at one end of the pivoted track, for returning another ball to the uppermost of the first mentioned tracks, a weight carried by one end of the pivoted track, and a trip dogpivoted in the upper- 110 most ot' the first mentioned tracks to be tripped by a ball, for releasing one ball at a time ot' a series of balls in the uppermost et' the first Amentioned tracks.

2. In a toy for children, a frame comprising a base, a pair ,of inclined tracks secured tothe upper part of the frame,one above the other and at an acute angle to each other, a third track pvoted in the frame at the lowermost extremity of the lowermost of the first mentioned tracks, so that a 'ball rolling down the pivoted track will act as means to overbalance the combined weight of another ball and a weight at one end of the pivoted track, for returning another ball to the uppermost of the first mentioned tracks,

a weight carried bv o ne end of the pivoted track, and a trip dog pivoted in the uppermost of the first mentioned tracks to be' tripped by a ball, ,for releasing one ball at a of aeeries of balle-inthe uppermost A y other' and at an acute angle to each other, a..

ofthe first x'nentionedv tracks, the uppermost track of said pair .of tracks having means to partiallyretard (lach ball, when released, las' it rolls down the uppermost track.

In a toy 'for children, a frame comprising a base, a pairl ofvinclined tracks secured to the upper part. of the frame, oneabove the third 'track pvoted in the frame at the lo'wermost extremity ofthe lowermost of the `first mentioned tracks, so that a ball rolling down the-pivoted track Wll'act as means to. overbala'ncethe combined weight of another track,- and a trip dog -pivoted in the uppermost of the first' mentioned tracks to be tripped by' a ball, for-releasing one ball'nat a' time of a series Aof balls in the uppermost of the first mentioned tracks, the uppermost -track of said pair of tracks having means to partially: retard each ball, When released,-

asit rolls down the uppermost track, anda e' v depository space at the base of thelframat' one end, in which theballs are delivered, one

vat a'ji'fillne,v from the tiltable track when.`4

tilted. f In testimony ribing Witnesses. l f THoMAs HOWARD'. Witnesses: I

GROVER C. HILL, JAMES H. l W'Hrrr p whereof I have'signed'my y, l name toghis specifcatlon in thepresence of 

